The present invention relates to roofing systems and, more particularly, to such a system for protecting the seam between two adjacent rubber insulating panels from prolonged exposure to water.
A significant number of commercial buildings are provided with a substantially flat roof. Typically, such roofs include a wooden layer which is covered with a layer of insulating material. Sheets of rubber or the like are positioned on top of the insulating material in order to protect the roof from rain, snow, etc. The sheets of rubber are transported in cylindrical rolls. During installation, the rubber sheets are placed on top of the insulation layer and are unrolled across the same with the edges of adjacent sheets overlapped. The edges are then bonded together using an adhesive or the like. During heavy rains, water often covers the seams formed between adjacent sheets of rubber. The water seeps between the seams, which may have deteriorated from exposure to the elements, where it eventually causes the roof to leak. Accordingly, such a roofing system has a limited life expectancy.
In recognition of the foregoing, a roofing system has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,096 which involves the raising of the seams between adjacent flexible sheets of roofing material above the level of standing water on a substantially flat roof. The raising of the seams is accomplished through the utilization of V-shaped channel members secured to the roof. The sheets of roofing material are secured to the roof in such a manner that the seams are positioned near the top of the channel members and away from any standing water. The securement of the sheets of roofing material to the V-shaped channel members is cumbersome due to the limited surface area at the apex of the channel members.